What is the best dental insurance in Toronto in 2024?

Dental insurance in Toronto is an essential investment, given the city's elevated cost of living and relatively higher service expenses compared to the Canadian average.

The significance of dental coverage becomes particularly pronounced in Toronto, where residents seek ways to mitigate the substantial costs associated with oral healthcare. However, finding a plan that suits you best may be quite time-consuming. We've got you covered.

Read this guide to find the best dental insurance Toronto plans, their coverage, pros, cons, and prices. Then, use our comparator to compare the plans and get free dental insurance quotes in seconds.

What does private dental insurance in Toronto cover?

Dental insurance in Toronto covers a variety of dental care services typically not covered or only partially by the provincial Ontario health insurance plan, including:

• Preventive care: It includes regular checkups, cleanings, and X-rays.
• Basic restorative care: This includes fillings, crowns, and bridges.
• Major restorative care: Root canals, periodontal treatments, and dentures.
• Orthodontic care: Includes braces and other appliances used to straighten teeth.

It is important to note that coverage changes across providers and your individual situation. So, it's best to get personalized quotes. You can do it right here using our comparator below. Compare multiple plans and get free quotes in seconds.

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What does dental insurance cost in Toronto?

The cost of dental insurance in Toronto varies based on factors such as coverage levels and providers. On average, basic plans may start at around $20 to $30 per month, while more comprehensive coverage can range from $40 to $80 per month. Below is a table outlining common dental services and their potential coverage under typical plans:

Service	Coverage (%)	Example Cost (CAD)
Preventive Care (Cleanings)	80-100	$100 - $200
Basic Procedures (Fillings)	50-80	$150 - $300
Major Procedures (Crowns)	40-60	$800 - $1,500
Orthodontics (Braces)	20-50	$2,000 - $6,000

These figures are approximate and can vary based on the specific plan and provider chosen. It's crucial to review policy details to understand coverage limitations and exclusions.

What does provincial healthcare cover in Toronto?

Provincial healthcare in Toronto, also known as the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), covers a wide range of medically necessary healthcare services.

Here are some of the key services covered by OHIP:

• Physician services
• Hospital services
• Laboratory and diagnostic services
• Medications
• Immunizations

In addition to these basic services, OHIP also covers a number of other healthcare services, such as:

• Mental health services: Therapy, counseling, and other services for mental health conditions.
• Rehabilitation services: Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and other services to help people recover from injuries or illnesses.
• Vision care: OHIP covers vision care for children under 19 years of age and adults 65 years of age and older. It also covers vision care for people with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes.

Does OHIP cover dental care?

OHIP does not cover most dental care services. However, it does cover some dental care services for children under 18 years of age, such as cleanings, fillings, and braces. Therefore, dental care can be quite expensive. Here's a table of how much dental care in Toronto would cost without insurance.

Dental Service	Cost without insurance
Dental Cleaning	$100 - $200
Dental Filling	$150 - $300
Dental Crown	$800 - $1,500
Braces (Orthodontics)	$2,000 - $6,000 (or more)

Therefore, it is essential to get private health and dental insurance plans to cover these otherwise exorbitant expenses. Before we jump into what the best plans offer, you can quickly compare their coverage and get quotes right here using our comparator below.

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What are the best dental insurance Toronto plans?

There are many great options for dental insurance in Toronto. Here are a few of the most popular providers:

1. GreenShield Canada (GSC)
2. Sun Life
3. Group Medical Services (GMS)
4. Blue Cross

Let's now see what makes them a top pick and what they offer.

GreenShield Canada: Diverse plans with varying coverage levels

Explore a spectrum of health insurance options with GreenShield Canada, offering diverse plans to suit various dental care needs:

1. Prism Continuum

Tailored for comprehensive coverage, Prism Continuum provides 80% coverage for preventive and basic care, devoid of deductibles or coverage limits. Priced at $317 (for a 27-year-old male), this plan is the optimal choice for those seeking extensive benefits.

2. Prism Spectra

For a more budget-friendly option at $235, Prism Spectra offers 80% coverage for preventive care and up to 80% for basic care. It features a first-year coverage limit of $500, providing a reasonable choice with progressively increasing coverage.

3. Prism Precision

If you're on a budget, Prism Precision, priced at $131, offers a more limited plan covering 70% of preventive care without basic care coverage. However, it includes a first-year coverage limit of $250 and has no deductibles or coverage limits, making it a cost-effective choice.

For detailed insights into the dental coverage of each plan, refer to our comprehensive review of GSC insurance.

Sun Life Insurance: Coverage options for pre-existing conditions available

In Toronto, Sun Life presents Health Coverage Choice (HCC) plans — private health insurance options encompassing a range of medical expenses, such as:

• Prescription drugs
• Dental care
• Paramedical services like physiotherapy and chiropractic care
• Vision care
• Semi-private hospital room

These HCC plans are accessible to Canadians aged 18 to 74 with provincial or territorial health insurance coverage, allowing application even with pre-existing medical conditions.

The HCC plan offers three coverage levels:

1. Health and Dental Choice A: The basic plan covering essential medical and dental expenses.
2. Health Choice B: Providing more comprehensive medical coverage, including emergency travel medical insurance and optional dental coverage.
3. Health Choice C: Offering the most comprehensive coverage, featuring higher annual and lifetime coverage maximums.

To give you a better idea of the coverage, here are the details of the Plan A:

Benefit	Reimbursement	Maximum per person
Drug	80%	$500 in a calendar year
Extended health	80%	As described in the Extendedhealth provision
Vision	100%	$150 every two calendar years
Semi-private hospital room	50% of reasonable & customary charges	$5,000 in a calendar year
Preventive dental	80%	$700 in a calendar year

For Plans B and C, dental coverage is available as an optional add-on.

Under Plan B, you can benefit from 80% reimbursement for preventive dental services and 50% for restorative dental services, capped at a maximum of $700 per calendar year per person.

Opting for Plan C provides 80% reimbursement for preventive dental services and 50% for restorative dental services.

• In the initial calendar year, the maximum is $750.
• For subsequent calendar years, it combines with preventive dental coverage for a total maximum of $1,000.

GMS Dental Insurance Toronto: Comprehensive options

Group Medical Services provides a diverse range of health insurance plans, spanning from essential coverage to comprehensive healthcare protection. Additionally, each plan offers the flexibility to include dental and/or prescription drug benefits.

• GMS health insurance encompasses comprehensive dental coverage, addressing fundamental services such as examinations, fillings, and polishing, and promoting preventive care. 
• The coverage extends to major dental services like crowns, bridges, and dentures, ensuring comprehensive coverage for tooth restoration or replacement based on the selected policy.

Here's a brief overview of the dental coverage provided by the Essential Plan:

• 80% preventive coverage for regular check-ups, examinations, cleanings, and scaling.
• 80% basic coverage for semi-annual checkups, polishing, fillings, etc.
• 50% major coverage for services like inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, dentures, etc.

The Essential Plan offers a combined maximum of $1,000 for dental expenses (inclusive of basic and major services) and accidental dental coverage of $2,000 per injury.

GMS's basic plan offers the following coverage:

• Year 1: $500
• Year 2: $750
• Year 3+: $1,000

This amount serves as the combined maximum for preventive, basic, and major care. It's important to note that Year 1 doesn't cover major services and the maximum for accidental dental is $500 per injury.

Get personalized dental insurance quotes from GMS and other prominent companies in Canada and easily compare them using our comparison tool below. Simply provide your basic details, and within minutes, receive customized dental insurance quotes.

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Blue Cross Dental Insurance: A plan for every need and budget

Blue Cross provides comprehensive health plans inclusive of dental coverage, as well as standalone individual dental insurance plans for those specifically seeking dental coverage.

The individual dental insurance plan offers an extensive range of coverage, including:

• Preventive Services: Cleaning, polishing, fluoride treatments, sealants and more
• Examinations: X-rays once every 36 months and emergency assessments
• Restorative Services: Fillings
• Surgical Procedures: Extractions and root canal therapy
• Denture Services: Repairs, relining and rebasing

Under the Individual Dental plan, these services are eligible for coverage at a rate of 70%, subject to applicable limits.

This means that Medavie Blue Cross will reimburse 70% of the expenses associated with the mentioned procedures, following the fee schedule established by the Dental Society for general practitioners in your province of residence. Please note that a 6-month waiting period is in effect.

Additionally, the Individual Dental plan includes accidental death and dismemberment coverage:

• Both the applicant and the applicant's spouse are covered for a maximum of $25,000 each in the event of accidental loss of life or limb.
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage ceases after the month following your 65th birthday.

How can I find cheap dental insurance in Toronto?

When looking for affordable dental insurance plan in Toronto, consider the following factors to save costs:

• Your needs: What dental care services do you need?
• Your budget: How much can you afford to pay for dental insurance?
• The type of plan: Do you want individual or family coverage?
• The benefits: What benefits are important to you?
• The network of dentists: Does the plan include a network of dentists in your area?
• Compare plans: Look for various providers and get quotes to get the best deal. Use the HelloSafe comparator and get quotes in no time.